


Seconds

by lookingforthestars



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-27 17:05:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5056783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingforthestars/pseuds/lookingforthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scorpion needs him, and Walter knows he made the right choice in letting Paige go. But now she's back in the arms of someone from her past, and he's surprised to find that it's tearing him apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Missed

"It's not your fault, Walter."

Paige's words made him cringe. He'd heard them before. From Cabe, mostly, about the loss of two thousand innocent lives. And now from Paige, even though he could be responsible for a thousand more deaths. "I made the decision. Whose fault do you think it is?" he snapped, turning away from her to stare out the loft window. She shouldn't have followed him up there.

The liaison sighed as she pulled his bedroom door closed and flipped the lock. No need for the rest of the team to get involved. "It was mine. I got distracted, I left myself open—."

"Paige, stop," he interrupted, holding up his left hand. Her voice died out abruptly. "It wasn't your fault. You had no way of knowing that Ford was working with the bomber."

"We were all blindsided," she said quietly, feeling an equal mixture of guilt and relief at the events of the day. "Look, nobody is hurt. We can still find him, we just need to regroup and figure out his next target."

Walter shook his head fervently, maintaining his gaze on the traffic outside and refusing to look at her. "No, I need to regroup and figure out his next target. You're going to go home and stay with Ralph," he said in a voice that left no room for argument.

But Paige was never one to back down from a fight. "That's absurd, Walter. I'm part of this team and there are dangerous men on the loose. Let me help."

The genius glanced at her briefly, and the coldness in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. "I said go home, Paige. We'll handle this."

Paige stared at him, jaw dropped slightly in shock. She wished he would turn around, but he kept his back to her. "Are you…punishing me? Because of what happened with Ford? I thought we agreed that wasn't either of our faults."

Walter finally stepped away from the window and headed in the direction of his desk, flipping through loose papers stuffed inside a file folder. "I'm not punishing you," he said matter-of-factly. "Ford tied you to a chair and put you in a room with a bomb. Logic dictates that you're going to feel aftereffects from that type of trauma. You'll be too emotionally unstable during this case to be helpful, so go home and be with your son."

Paige took a deep breath, trying to fight the way his statement cut her. It had been a long and difficult struggle to gain acceptance from the team and find her place at Scorpion, and being pushed aside like this dredged up a ton of old insecurities. "I am not unstable," she said defiantly, taking a step toward him and pulling the folder out of his hands. He looked at her in surprise. "You and Cabe found me. We had plenty of time. I've been in danger before, Walter. It's nothing I can't handle."

The genius stared at her blankly for a minute before shaking his head again. "Cabe and I didn't find you," he rebutted, distancing himself from her and searching his bag until he produced a black laptop. He cracked it open and stared intently at the screen as he spoke. "Ford gave us your location in exchange for his freedom. We would never have found you or the bomb in time."

This wasn't new information to Paige, but she felt a pit growing in her stomach as the real problem dawned on her. "You're punishing me because he got away. Him and the other bomber. They're out there putting hundreds of lives at risk, and you blame me."

"Thousands of lives, and no, I don't," Walter argued, bringing up a satellite map with a few keystrokes. "I already told you that this is my fault, and it's up to me to fix it. And I can't think if I'm worried about you being in trouble, so please, just listen to me for once and go home."

"Walter," the liaison said gently, biting back a small smile. His protectiveness frustrated her sometimes, but she had an equal amount of appreciation for it. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine. I'll even stay at the garage if you want, but I want to help on this case."

The genius paused his typing and straightened his arms, pressing his palms against the edge of his desk. When he didn't respond, Paige approached him carefully and placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing a small circle with her thumb. He didn't move.

"You're going to find them, Walter," she assured him in a near-whisper. "Scorpion never fails. It's going to be okay. Tell me what you need me to do."

Walter stayed rigid under her touch until he finally ducked away from her, reaching for a marker and scribbling a numerical sequence on his whiteboard while Paige tried to ignore the tingling in her hand. "Walter?" she prompted.

The marker ran out of ink and he threw it on the ground, pausing as he reached for the next one. He turned partially to face her, but his eyes still wouldn't meet hers. "I need you…not to be here," Walter replied before continuing his work on the board.

Her stomach dropped. Paige wasn't unstable, but she was shaken up, and—although she pretended it was all about the case—she needed to be where she felt safe. She needed to be near him. And he couldn't stand to be around her. He couldn't even look at her.

"I don't understand, Walter. Do you…do you regret saving me?" she asked, her voice cracking on the last words.

There was no sound except a squeak on the board as Walter halted his frantic scribbling. "Of course not."

Paige pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled, trying to keep her emotions under control. "Then why are you so desperate for me to leave?"

"It's better for Scorpion," he answered after a period of silence, and Paige hated how robotic he sounded. She thought he'd moved beyond that. "This case proves that my emotions are getting in the way of our work. I can't have these…distractions."

The bid to reign in her emotions was rapidly becoming useless, and the liaison clenched her fists, feeling the sting as her nails dug into her palms. "I'm not a distraction, Walter, I'm your friend. And I'm usually pretty understanding when you're under stress, but this is rude, even for you."

After what felt like an eternity, Walter rested his marker against the board and met her eyes, crossing his arms in front of him. "Saving you at the expense of two domestic terrorists does not factor into the greater good theory. It was an emotional decision, and I don't regret it, but I need you to excuse yourself from this case so I don't have to make that choice again."

Paige pressed her lips together and nodded bitterly. "So that makes me a liability? Because at some unidentified time, you might have to deign to save my life again?"

"You are a liability…to me." Though they were only feet apart, Paige felt like there was a million miles between them. She hardly recognized the man in front of her, and she couldn't stand the way he was making her feel. "I jeopardized Scorpion's success for your benefit today. I cannot continue to do that."

The liaison swallowed hard, pushing back tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "I can't believe you would say that," she murmured, her eyes wandering aimlessly around the room. "After everything we've been through, your company is still more important to you than I am."

"It has to be." The genius cleared his throat, dropping his arms to his sides and resting his hand on the back of a chair. "Greater good. What I want is…not a factor. Today has shown me that."

He picked up his laptop and took three steps toward the door before Paige held him in place with a hand on his chest. "Walter," she said quietly, causing him to stare down at her. "Please think about what you're doing. I really need to know where you stand, and if you're telling me that you don't want this—that you are never going to want this—we're not going to recover from that."

"You're an important member of Scorpion," he answered without hesitation. "Please go home, Paige. I need my head to be clear."

Paige's hand shook as she dropped it from his chest and stepped aside to let him pass. She stood immobile, holding out hope until the door swung shut and it was gone with him.


	2. Truth

It was necessary.

Even if he couldn't sleep, and Paige refused to look at him. Even if the tension in the garage was so unbearable that his team left immediately after their missions were over. Even if he questioned himself every second, analyzing and criticizing everything he said and did that day.

It was necessary. Walter had already allowed himself to drift too far. He'd opened up to her, found ways to make her happy, pictured a life with her. He fooled himself into thinking he could have it all, until the day that she was in danger and two of Homeland's most wanted criminals went free. Because of him. Because the thought of losing her was too painful.

Paige believed that he was choosing Scorpion over her. He'd opened his mouth to correct her, but thought better of it. It didn't matter whether she believed that or the truth—the end result was the same. Walter founded his company to atone for his mistakes, and he had no right to live for himself until he saved as many lives as he had destroyed. He didn't deserve the happiness he felt with her.

He didn't have the words to tell her then, in the loft, so he'd just pushed her away. No matter how she felt about it right now—judging by her refusal to acknowledge him, he imagined it wasn't favorable—eventually Paige would realize that it was for the best. He would stay focused on his mission, she could stop wasting her time working toward a future that would never exist, and everyone they cared about would be spared from unnecessary pain and instability.

Walter pushed himself harder into his pillow and shut his eyes. They felt dry and raw. His head was pounding, and he was starting to grow weaker from several days without food or sleep. Despite his determination not to notice, he could see similar signs of wear on Paige's face. He didn't like being the cause of her stress, but it would pass. Emotions were shallow and fickle, and they hardly ever lasted.

* * *

"You look like me after a three-day craps bender," Toby noted, taking a sip of his latte as he came to a stop in front of Walter's desk. The genius stared at him blankly. "Like hell," he clarified.

"I got it, Toby, thank you," Walter replied humorlessly, straightening up a scattered pile of unfinished paperwork. "I've been busy. We may have caught Ford and Banski, but they still have an extensive network of contacts that we need to locate."

"I know," the shrink said noncommittally. "But I don't buy that you're going all 'Tales from the Crypt' just because of this case."

Walter narrowed his eyes. "I don't understand your reference."

"Never mind." Scanning the garage, he landed on Happy's rolling chair and dragged it over to Walter's desk with one hand, protecting his coffee with the other as he dropped into the seat. "Seriously, Walt, what's going on? I know what it looks like when you're lost in work, and this isn't it."

The genius swallowed and refocused his attention on organizing his desk, more out of a need to keep his hands busy than an actual concern for order. "Our cases don't usually take this long to complete. That's all."

Toby sighed audibly and leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk. Walter restrained his annoyance. "You and Paige have been avoiding each other like the plague for more than a week. I think she actually tried to walk through a wall to dodge you today. I could come up with a pretty good hypothesis about what happened between you, but since we're friends, I wanted to give you a chance to tell me yourself."

"Yes, Toby, we are friends." He pushed the psychologist's feet back to the floor. "And I'm also your boss. The questioning ends now."

"Fine," Toby said with a shrug. "Maybe Paige will be more forthcoming with details."

"Don't you dare."

"I will dare, Walt, because this is ridiculous," he argued, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "I know your life philosophy is to pretend you don't have emotions, or whatever, but the rest of us don't have that luxury. Your awkwardness with Paige is very noticeable and it very much affects the team."

The genius processed Toby's words and shook his head. "It will be resolved soon."

"Good. I'm exhausted just watching you." The doctor relaxed and tapped his fingers against his styrofoam cup. "And look, I'm sorry that Drew is back. Although for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure his little reunion with Paige won't last long."

Walter froze, his chest suddenly feeling very tight. "What?"

Toby's eyes widened. "What?"

"Drew is back?"

The shrink's gaze darted between Walter and the door as if contemplating an exit strategy. "I just meant, you know, metaphorically. Obviously Drew is real, he's Ralph's father, but, um—."

"Toby."

"Yes?" he asked sheepishly, sinking further down into the chair.

"Why is Drew back in town?"

Toby tossed his coffee in the trash and clasped his hands in his lap. "Not sure. To visit Ralph, I guess. I've just been seeing him around town the last few weeks."

Walter took a deep breath, unsure if he could get his next words out. "And he and Paige are…"

The psychologist looked at him guiltily. "I thought you knew. I thought…that was why you two were fighting." He dropped his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, Walter."

_I really need to know where you stand._ Paige was trying to tell him, but he was too focused on burning the bridge between them to notice. It wasn't as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind…when he laid in bed at night, wide awake, he sometimes pictured her moving on. But not with Drew. After she declined his offer to move to Portland, Walter thought she'd closed the book on Ralph's father.

But he pushed her away from him and right into Drew's arms.

"Don't be," Walter finally said in a voice that sounded overly chipper. He cleared his throat and started again. "Paige and I are just friends. I hope…" The words felt bitter on his tongue. "I hope that everything works out."

Toby eyed him suspiciously, and Walter knew that the doctor saw through his lie. But there was no point in the truth. Walter wanted to run over to her apartment that second and tell her—show her—that she was making a mistake, but he stayed glued to his seat. Regardless of what Paige thought, or did, walking away from her was for the greater good.

And when he found himself back in bed that night, unable to think or breathe or move, he told himself over and over again that it would pass.


	3. Connections

Walter wondered how he could have been so blind. The fourth highest IQ ever recorded, and he failed to realize what was happening right in front of him. Not that him knowing was of any benefit. His lack of sleep was growing more apparent with every day that passed, and Cabe pulled him aside frequently to ask if he was okay. But it was nothing compared to the months of sleep he'd lost after hearing about the attack on Baghdad. This time would be easier. This time, no else would get hurt because his judgment was clouded by emotions.

The genius tapped absentmindedly on his keyboard, switching between four software programs he had in progress but not really focusing on any of them. His eyes were still aching, and the screen was becoming blurrier. He pushed himself up from his desk to fetch his sixth cup of coffee and stopped in his tracks.

"Oh," Paige said awkwardly, running a hand through her messy hair. "I, uh, thought you would be upstairs by now."

"I couldn't sleep," Walter explained, shifting his eyes to avoid staring at her.

"Yeah." He wondered if she was implying that it was obvious he hadn't slept or that she couldn't either. The liaison alternated her weight between both feet before leaning at an uncomfortable angle against her desk. "I just had to put together a few invoices. Scorpion had a busy month."

"Yes, we did," the genius replied with a forced chuckle. "Thanks for taking care of that."

Paige nodded and stared down at her hands. "Of course."

Walter took a deep breath. He was never bothered by being in awkward situations—they were primarily awkward for the other party, because he'd never cared enough to feel uncomfortable. But sensing Paige's uneasiness made his skin crawl and his heart race much faster than seemed healthy or even possible.

Desperate to break the painful silence, Walter broached the subject before he could bite his tongue. "So Drew is back in town?"

The color instantly drained out of Paige's face, and Walter realized that she hadn't intended for him to know—not yet, at least. She bit her bottom lip and took a second to recover. "For a few months."

The genius internally begged himself not to press any further, considering that he didn't really want to hear the details, but his mouth rebelled. "The job in Portland…didn't work out?" he prodded gently.

Paige clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore than he did, but it was the longest they'd spoken in weeks, so she played along. "He got a better job offer in Texas. There was a gap before the new job starts, so he decided to spend that time with Ralph."

"That's…uh, good," Walter said with a short cough. "How is that…going?"

Walter was surprised that Ralph hadn't shared this information himself, and wondered if Paige had insisted on keeping it under wraps. He was sincerely curious about the young boy's reaction to having his father back in town, but he also desperately wanted to know the answers to questions he was too afraid to ask. Paige placed her keys and phone on her desk and supported her weight on her palms. "Good, so far. Ralph is teaching him about physics, and Drew's teaching Ralph about girls." A small smile graced her lips. "They're starting to understand each other a little better."

Walter chastised himself for the spark of jealousy that ran through him. His relationship with Ralph was a sensitive subject—although he felt a special connection with the young genius, Paige had made it clear on more than one occasion that he was not Ralph's father. Helping Ralph and Drew connect had at least given him some stake in the process, but now it appeared that was slipping away too.

"I assume…" Paige interrupted his thoughts. He tried to meet her eyes, but she was focusing intently on a single spot on the floor. "I assume Toby also told you about me and Drew?"

Walter nodded, unsure of how to answer her.

"Naturally," she laughed softly. "It's, um…"

He cleared his throat. "You don't have to talk about it. With me. It's okay."

"Please. I want to get everything out in the open." She curled a section of hair behind her ear, and as much as Walter tried not to be affected by her little quirks, he couldn't stop himself from committing them to memory. It was the glaring downside of his intelligence. "He only came to see Ralph, but we started spending time together, and…" She paused. "Drew's changed, in a lot of ways. He's grown up since last time. It just kind of…happened."

Walter could confidently say that he would rather jump out of a burning plane than endure a conversation about Drew, but he brought it on himself. "Okay," he said simply, deciding to speak as little as possible until he could make a clean break.

"We're taking it slow. For Ralph," she continued, sensing Walter's concern, although she didn't know the half of it. "Whatever happens, I want him to be okay with it."

Walter nodded again, and Paige watched him with curiosity. "I should go to bed," he said abruptly. "Good night."

He debated whether or not to lean over his desk and turn off his computer, but he decided that the extra ten seconds of painful silence wasn't worth it and walked past her toward the stairs.

"Wait," Paige said, and he held his breath before placing his hand on the stair railing and turning to face her. "That's it? You don't have any opinions on this?"

Walter had a staggering number of opinions, but he had forfeited the right to all of them when he walked out on her in the loft. "What do you want me to say?" he asked in the most even voice he could manage, but he couldn't stop a hint of his frustration from slipping through.

"I don't…know," Paige said uncertainly, shaking her head. "I want you to tell me that it's okay. That you're okay."

He didn't understand why she should care at all about his welfare after the way he had treated her. He was lightyears away from okay, but only one answer seemed fair to her. "I'm fine," he said, releasing his too-tight grip on the banister. "Good night, Paige."

* * *

"You look like—."

"Yes, I look bad, I get it." Walter fluffed the pillows on Megan's bed before motioning for her to sit down. She held onto his arm while she lowered herself on top of the white sheets, his other hand supporting her upper back.

"Tough case?" she asked when she settled in. After studying him carefully, she noted, "No. Something else."

"I didn't come here to talk about me. I came here to talk about your treatment," he said sternly, repositioning a vase of yellow flowers on her side table.

"Boring," Megan said emphatically, squeezing his arm. "All we ever talk about is my treatment. Just once, can I know what's going on in your life?"

Walter met her questioning gaze for a moment, debating whether or not to seek her advice, before dropping his hands in his lap and leaning away from her. "There's nothing to tell."

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?" she snorted.

"No, of course not."

"Then level with me, little bro. You've been going downhill for a while, but I chalked it up to work. This…" Megan reached over and placed her hand over his. "This is personal. I know what heartbreak looks like, and you're basically the poster child."

Walter ran his free hand over his face and sighed. "It's my job to worry about you. Not the other way around."

"Walter O'Brien, savior of the universe," she joked lightly as she gripped his palm. "It's okay to let other people help you sometimes, you know."

The genius offered a halfhearted smile before jumping up from his seat. "This, um…isn't one of those times," he said as he pulled two water bottles out of her mini fridge. "This is something I need to take care of on my own."

"You are an incredibly stubborn man," Megan teased before her voice turned serious. "Is that why Paige is with someone else right now and you're here moping instead of doing something about it?"

Walter glared in her direction. "Does everyone know about this?"

"Yes."

"Of course," he muttered. He narrowed his eyes and unscrewed one of the bottles before handing it to her. "And that was…harsh."

"Well someone has to be honest with you, and it might as well be me." With concerted effort, Megan crossed her legs in front of her on the bed and leaned forward as if she was telling Walter a huge secret. "You and Paige are…intense. I can't really explain it. You have this connection I don't see very often. She knows how insufferably weird you are, and she still cares about you." He opened his mouth to disagree with her, but she cut him off. "I don't know what happened between you, and I have a feeling that you're going to keep those details locked down. But will you at least tell me why you're just letting Drew waltz in here to take Paige without even putting up a fight?"

Walter pressed his lips together, knowing how disappointed Megan would be if he told her the truth. His sister was one of the few people that genuinely understood him, but she wouldn't understand this. "There's no reason to fight," he admitted. "I told her to move on, and she did."

The room was uncomfortably silent. "You what?" she asked incredulously.

The genius shifted in his seat, wishing once again that he was doing anything but talking. "Regardless of what you or anyone else thinks I have with Paige, I analyzed the situation and concluded that maintaining our status as coworkers was the best option. Anything else was just not…feasible."

Megan cocked her eyebrow. "You're lying."

"I don't lie," he said defensively, taking another swig of water. His throat felt awfully dry.

"Not usually, but you are. Right now." She rested her chin on her knuckles, and Walter felt like there was no escape from her intense scrutiny. "The way you talk about her is different. Like she's an experiment instead of a person. You only do that when you want to distance yourself from someone. When they…" Megan let out a low whistle. "When they really hurt you."

"Paige didn't hurt me."

"I don't think that's true."

Megan's voice contained no trace of doubt, and Walter knew better than to start an argument he was guaranteed to lose. He flipped the cap of the water bottle between his fingers while he thought.

"I have more important things to fight for." He knew it wasn't the truth as soon as he said it, but he let the words hang in the air, knowing it wouldn't be any use to take them back.

His sister seemed surprised. "Walter…"

"Please, Megan," he answered quietly, resting both of his hands on top of her knees. "Please just trust that I'm making the best decision for everyone. Okay?"

Nothing she said would make a difference when Walter was determined, and they both knew it. She gave him an understanding nod and wrapped her hands back around his. "Okay."


	4. Dreams

"Walter," Paige said playfully as she poked his side.

He grumbled and pushed his face into his pillow. "No. It's too early."

"Come on, wake up," she laughed, shaking his shoulder. "We have work to do."

The genius's heart beat faster at the sound of her voice. Chills still ran through his body every time she said his name. "Five minutes," he said, twisting over onto his side and smiling at her. "Work can wait."

She rolled her eyes as she leaned in closer to him, combing her fingers through his dark hair. "Walter…"

"Walter!"

The genius bolted upright, bringing his hands to his head as the sudden blood rush made him dizzy. Cabe released his shoulder and stepped back. "Finally. If you weren't talking in your sleep, I would have thought you were dead."

"Sorry," he said, rubbing his hands over his face to stimulate circulation and push through the grogginess. "I must have been in the middle of a deep REM cycle."

"Good for you," the agent said sarcastically, throwing a blue button-down shirt and a pair of gray pants in Walter's direction. "Get dressed. We have a case."

He nodded and Cabe headed toward the door to give him privacy. "Wait," Walter called out as Cabe's words sunk in. "What did I say? In my sleep?"

"Nothing important," he answered with a shrug. "Why, what were you dreaming about?"

Walter felt heat flame under his cheeks. "Nothing important," he said quickly.

Cabe raised his eyebrow but said nothing. Once he left the loft, the genius jumped up from the bed and ducked into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. The dreams were getting worse. More detailed, more real, more…intimate. Walter used to appreciate his dreams—through them, he was able to solve complex problems and develop new ideas. Now, even after two months, they haunted him. The more he tried to suppress his thoughts of Paige when he was awake, the stronger his fantasies were at night. Even in the rare occasions when he could sleep, he was afraid to, knowing that waking up would reopen the wound.

Walter brushed his teeth and pulled on the clothes Cabe had provided for him before jogging down the stairs into the main area of the garage. Toby, Happy, and Sylvester circled around the monitor on the wall in preparation for the debriefing.

"We're just waiting for Paige," the agent informed him.

Walter was aware of Toby studying him intently, attempting to gauge his reaction. He kept his expression blank. "Let's get started. We can catch her up later."

Cabe nodded in agreement and signaled for Sylvester to start the presentation. "Chao Yeung, Chinese ambassador to the U.S. He failed to attend a trade negotiation this morning, and all signs point to a kidnapping. Here's what we know so far…"

* * *

Walter leaned his forearm on the counter and slowly unrolled the bandage covering his wound. Toby insisted on inspecting the injury, but Walter was exhausted and assured the shrink that he would take care of it himself. They recovered Yeung and foiled the assassination of another visiting diplomat, but their victory had come with plenty of complications.

He dabbed the gash with an antiseptic solution and cut a fresh bandage off the roll. The genius stiffened as he heard voices by the door. The rest of the team had left about an hour ago for burgers and offered to bring food back for him, but he wasn't in the mood to eat.

Walter craned his neck around the wall of the kitchen and spotted Paige and Drew by the entrance to the garage. He whispered something in her ear, and she responded by giggling and slapping him lightly on his shoulder. Seeing her smile caused a gnawing feeling in Walter's chest that he didn't understand. It was exactly what he thought he wanted—a fresh start for both of them. He wanted her to be happy, but somehow it bothered him to see that she was.

Paige didn't visit the garage much when there wasn't a case, and he rarely saw her with Drew. He had a hunch that was intentional. The dreams had been making him irritable—he never had much patience, anyway, but he was even quicker to snap now. Paige maintained her distance from him, and he sensed that he was starting to alienate the rest of the team, but he figured it might be for the best until he could straighten out his thoughts.

The liaison crouched down and held out her arms, and Ralph stepped into view as she embraced him and pressed her lips to his forehead. She rose and gave Drew a mercifully brief kiss, and before Walter could persuade himself to stop spying on her, they left and Paige locked up behind them. The genius slipped back into the kitchen and pretended to be occupied with wrapping his bandage.

"Hey," she said softly, leaning against the door frame. "Do you want help?"

"Oh. Hey. I didn't hear you come in," he lied. He finished tying the fabric and held up his arm to show her. "I'm fine. Thanks."

"Okay." Paige didn't move, but instead stared at the floor, deep in thought, while she tapped her fingers against her leg.

Walter pulled a cleaning wipe from the dispenser that Sylvester had helpfully supplied and disinfected the counter. "Is Ralph staying at Drew's tonight?"

"Yes," she answered, straightening up and taking a step inside the kitchen. "Ralph has an all-night video game marathon planned. He's pretty excited."

The corner of Walter's mouth turned up. "Drew doesn't stand a chance."

Paige let out a small laugh and shook her head. "Not at all."

For a split second, things felt familiar and normal, and Walter was grateful to know that they still could. Silence fell between them again until Paige decided to answer the question that Walter didn't ask for fear of learning more than he wanted to know. "We went out to dinner, but I needed to wrap up a few details from the case. I'll just be at my desk…I won't get in your way."

"You're okay," he said quickly, cringing at the eagerness in his voice. He cleared his throat. "I was going to work in the loft, anyway."

Paige nodded, picking nervously at her fingernails. "Are you okay?" she asked suddenly.

He offered her a strained smile and motioned to his arm. "It's fine. Toby said it should heal within a few weeks."

"No, Walter," she said seriously, shaking her head. Her eyes locked on his, and the concern in her expression made his stomach knot up. "You know what I'm asking."

He struggled to find an adequate reply. The choice he made wasn't about happiness. He didn't really remember what it felt like to be okay, but he had given up his right to pursue what he wanted when he decided to devote all of his energy to running Scorpion and setting right everything he had done wrong. How could he explain that to her that despite his feelings, he forced himself to choose something bigger than both of them? "I will be," he said finally.

Paige seemed placated by his response. She stared off into space and let out a quiet sigh. "I know the past few months have been…strange," she said, twisting her thin silver rings around her fingers. "I wish this wasn't so hard."

Walter dropped his eyes and shuffled his feet.

"But it wasn't, uh, meant to be," she continued quickly. He was relieved that she didn't expect an answer; his mouth felt like cotton, and he wasn't confident in his ability to be coherent. "You don't believe in that stuff. I know. What I'm trying to say…"

Paige trailed off, and the genius was surprised when he felt a small hand touch his arm. He looked up to see her standing close to him—too close—but he suppressed his anxiety and waited for her to finish. "You deserve to be happy, Walter. We both do." She maintained her grip just above his wrist, and for the first time, he noticed the dark circles under her eyes that she had tried to cover with makeup. "I don't want to do this anymore. I can't spend every day here dealing with this stress. If you want me to leave, then fire me. Because if I'm going to stay, then…we need to find some way to move past this."

The idea of Paige leaving Scorpion forever…he'd already struggled with that once, and it drove him over the edge. Being emotionally involved with Paige had been crippling for him, but so had pushing her out completely. Maybe there was a balance—a way to cope with his emotions and finally overcome them.

They were entering territory that was still unfamiliar to him, but one thing he knew for sure was that his apology was long overdue. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I was frustrated about the bombing case, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry if I treated you like you weren't a member of the team, or…like I regretted my decision to save your life." Walter hesitated before covering her hand with his. "I didn't."

"I know," Paige said with a genuine smile—the first he'd received from her in so long. She squeezed his arm, and he was thrown by the realization of how much he missed physical contact with her. "I know, Walter."

* * *

Paige worked in the garage for a little over two hours, and Walter stayed true to his word and disappeared to the loft. But he was distracted every time he heard the shuffle of papers or Paige's quiet humming, so he gave up on his work and laid in bed, listening to the faint sounds that echoed through the vents.

His attempts to distract himself with equations proved fruitless as the image of Paige and Drew standing by the doorway with Ralph pushed itself to the forefront of his mind. It was…irrational. Probably the most irrational thing he'd ever found himself focusing his attention on. Walter never planned for a family…he had no connection with his own parents, and even as an adult, he struggled to relate to others. It certainly didn't fit in with the path he was following now. But there were times when he'd looked at Paige and Ralph, and just for a moment, they felt like his. Now Drew had stepped back into that role—his rightful role, at least legally—and Walter felt the loss more than he wanted to.

It just wasn't meant to be, as Paige said. Certain things weren't in the cards for him, and he needed to accept that. But no matter how much he reminded himself that it was a small price to pay for the difference he would be able to make in the world, he couldn't stop the nagging sensation that told him it might never be enough.


	5. Question

"Do you think the banner is too big?"

Sylvester stood under the oversized blue sign, which read "Congratulations!" in metallic letters, and stretched out his arms.

Walter chuckled. "Yes. But Ralph will love it."

"Good," the mathematician grinned, satisfied with his contribution to the party. Walter patted him on the shoulder and headed toward the kitchen to check the snacks.

"They're coming!" Happy announced as she peeked out the window. The team rushed to stand in a row underneath the banner as the young genius entered through the front door.

"Surprise!" they yelled in unison, each of them returning Ralph's beaming grin. He shuffled over to the geniuses, allowing them to hug him one by one as his arms remained pressed against his sides.

Walter knelt down in front of Ralph and ruffled his hair. "Congratulations, buddy. Hey, the team has a game planned for you. Go to the roof, I'll be there in a second."

"Okay, Walter," the boy said before skipping behind Toby and Happy. Walter stood up to greet Paige and Drew, his smile fading slightly when he saw Drew's arm around her shoulders.

"Go with him," Paige told Drew, motioning to their son.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there," she assured him. Drew took off behind the geniuses, and Paige turned her attention to Walter, giving him a bright smile. "Thank you for this. Ralph is so happy."

"He aced his first college class. That's a big deal." Walter shoved his hands into his pockets as they strolled slowly toward the stairs. "We couldn't have put this together without you, anyway."

"Please. You had this in the bag," Paige laughed, bumping his shoulder with hers. "You didn't even need me."

Walter stopped and gave her a crooked smile. "We always need you."

The liaison was caught off guard by his compliment and stared back at him for a second too long. The genius cleared his throat and continued walking, and she scolded herself for straying into uncomfortable territory. They were finally on friendly terms again, and she had no desire to jeopardize that. For any reason.

She decided to change the subject and focus on Ralph, who was usually a safe topic. "What are they doing on the roof?"

He laughed, and Paige wondered how long it had been since she'd seen him that happy. She couldn't remember, but then again, Ralph always seemed to bring out the best in him. "It's complicated," he said, bounding up the steps in front of her. "Let's just say it involves bubble gum and Pong."

Paige stopped at the base of the stairs and furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

* * *

Paige scraped a layer of blue frosting off her slice of cake and popped it into her mouth as she watched Ralph pose for photographs with the team. She was getting tired and had to lean against a support beam to keep herself upright, but they couldn't leave when Ralph was having the time of his life. She smiled to herself as Walter coached Ralph into a silly pose and snapped a picture with him.

The liaison didn't realize that she was staring directly at Walter until he stood and met her eyes. Paige offered a quick smile before looking away again. She'd already learned that allowing herself to get tangled up in Walter's intense gaze stirred feelings that she couldn't afford to experience right now…no matter how powerful they were.

Paige shook herself out of her thoughts and reached out to take Drew's hand as he appeared next to her. "Can we talk?" he asked.

She shot him a look of concern and squeezed his palm. "Sure."

"Over here," he said quietly, pulling her behind him to a more private corner of the garage. Paige glanced around to make sure that none of the geniuses were listening in, although they'd gotten sneakier after she caught them spying on her interactions with Drew more than a few times. He came to a stop behind a row of metal shelves and took both of her hands in his. "Paige, you know that my new job starts in two weeks."

"I know," she said emphatically. "But Ralph and I can't move again, I already told you—."

"No, it's not about that," Drew assured her. He patted the pocket of his hoodie and gave her a relieved smile. "This is about something that I probably should have done when Ralph was born. I didn't always do the right thing for you and our son, and I'm grateful that you gave me a chance to make up for those mistakes."

Drew took a deep breath before pulling out a blue box and prying it open. Paige's eyes widened.

"Is that—?" she choked, suddenly feeling like she might pass out.

"Yes," he said excitedly, taking the ring from the box and holding it up between his thumb and forefinger. "Being with you and Ralph these past few months has been great. It's the way things should have always been. And I know we can't get that time back, but we can start having that life right now."

"Drew, I…" Paige inhaled a breath to stabilize herself. She'd been in her fair share of unexpected situations, but none as surprising as this one. She felt paralyzed.

"You don't want to leave Scorpion," he answered quickly. "I know. I'm not asking you to. We can stay right here."

Paige eyed him skeptically. "You're willing to stay in Los Angeles?"

"Full time," Drew said with a grin. "No conditions. Your job still makes me nervous, but I know what this place means for both of you. I'm ready to settle down with you and Ralph."

Paige was vaguely aware of her mouth hanging open, but she couldn't seem to coordinate the activity of her body and brain. "I appreciate that, Drew, but—."

"You don't have to answer now," he insisted, seeming confident despite her lack of a definitive reaction. He flipped her hand over and pressed the ring into her palm. "Just think about it. That's all I'm asking."

* * *

"It's weird," Ralph said as he held the flashlight in place. Paige had clearly been exhausted, so Walter offered to let Ralph stay overnight at the garage while she went home to rest. She was also displaying markers of anxiety, but they didn't seem to be related to him, for once. Walter tried not to think about the implications as she and Drew left together.

"What is?" The genius pulled himself out from under his rocket and raised his eyebrow at Ralph, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

His face remained stoic. "You were wondering how I feel about my parents dating again. And the answer is that it's weird."

"Huh." Walter didn't bother to ask how Ralph knew. The boy's intuition, like his intelligence, appeared to be off the charts. "Weird how?"

The genius had been careful not to bring up the subject, lest Paige think that he was using her son for information, but he was willing to be there in any way Ralph needed him regardless of his own opinions. Ralph turned off the light and placed it in his lap. "I don't remember very much about them dating before. When I was younger. So I can't compare the two occurrences."

"Uh-huh," Walter said to encourage Ralph while staying—or at least sounding—objective.

"I like having my dad around more. He spends a lot of time with me now. I would prefer it if he didn't move again."

"But?" the genius asked, sensing that there was a caveat.

"Something doesn't seem right," Ralph answered bluntly, tracing a pattern on the floor with his finger. "I know what it looks like when mom is happy…and when she loves someone." Walter's breath caught, but Ralph gave no indication as to who he meant. "I don't think she loves my dad."

Walter felt simultaneously relieved, guilty, and guilty for being relieved. He made the decision long ago that he couldn't give Paige what she needed, and he wanted her to find someone that would. But he was okay with that person not being Drew. "Have you talked to your mom about this?"

"Not yet. I'm trying to collect more data," Ralph said without looking up. "What do you think?"

That was a loaded question. Walter had no right to be jealous, and certainly no right to hate Drew for offering what the genius was unable to. It didn't stop him, though. When he caught Paige staring at him earlier that night, he could see more cracks starting to form in the walls he'd built. He was getting tired of patching them up. "I think," Walter said, taking Ralph's flashlight and handing him a wrench, "the only thing that's important is whether or not you're happy."

"That's not true," the young boy said matter-of-factly. "Mom's happiness matters. How can I be happy if she's unhappy?"

He looked at his mentor pointedly, and for maybe the first time in his life, Walter was at a loss.


	6. Advice

Paige was in a daze. She'd been thrown for a loop by Drew's proposal, and suddenly decisions that she thought she would be able to put off were staring her in the face. They agreed to be flexible when he moved to Texas, knowing he would likely end up in another state within a few months. That was his usual routine, after all, and Paige was happy to remain in L.A. with Ralph and see how things worked out.

She dropped her face into her hands. This was a disaster. How could she and Drew have seen their relationship in such different ways? She had to admit that it was nice, though, the two of them spending time with Ralph…feeling like a family. It was the future she always envisioned for them, and Drew was offering it to her now, no strings attached.

But this wasn't the time. She glanced around at the other geniuses, who were in four separate corners of the garage as usual, and told herself to pull it together while she was working. "Paige," a voice called out, and she lifted her head to see Walter motioning to her from his desk. "Did you finish the case wrap-ups for last week?"

"Um, yeah," she mumbled, searching through her outgoing file box until she found the right documents. Paige took a deep breath, hoping Walter wouldn't realize how distracted she was and start to pry. As desperately as she tried not to, she couldn't stop thinking about him…about his reaction. She shook the thought out of her head. He wasn't a factor; he had removed himself from the equation months ago, with very little concern for  _her_  reaction.

The liaison pushed herself up from her desk, taking shaky steps toward Walter. She was less than a foot away from him when her hands betrayed her and the papers slipped through her fingers, scattering across the floor.

"I've got it," Walter said, jumping from his chair and kneeling down across from her to help gather the papers. She was so flustered that she didn't even notice when the genius's smile started to fade. "What is that?" he asked hesitantly.

Paige followed his gaze and swallowed when she saw the gold chain that had fallen out from behind her blouse. She had a strong feeling that he wasn't asking about the necklace, but about the diamond ring hanging from the end of it.

"Paige," he said again, his voice becoming stronger. "Why do you have that?"

She felt panic seeping through her veins. The liaison had intended to tell Walter if—and only if—she said yes, and even then, she would be prepared. Everything was moving so fast…why couldn't she get one stupid moment to think things through? "Not now, Walter," she murmured, locking her eyes onto his. "Everyone's here."

"You're marrying Drew?" he asked disbelievingly, but it was the twinge of sadness in his voice that made her heart race.

"Not here," Paige said through gritted teeth. She abandoned the papers and latched onto Walter's forearm, pulling him into an alleyway next to the garage where she was reasonably sure that the other team members couldn't hear them. He yanked his arm away and stepped back with a wild and wounded expression. "I was going to tell you when I made a decision."

Walter paced through the narrow space, running his hands through his hair. "You're marrying Drew?" he repeated, spitting out the last word.

"No. I mean, I don't know. Yet." Paige cleared her throat and tried to retain her composure in the face of Walter's disintegration. "It happened two days ago. I haven't given him an answer."

"But you're considering it?" the genius said loudly, causing Paige to cringe. She knew Walter didn't handle change well, but his reaction was much more emotional than she had predicted. "What about Texas? What about Ralph? Are you going to uproot him again and—."

"No, of course not," she interrupted, not wanting him to assume the worst. "No matter what happens, Ralph and I are staying here. Drew has even offered to live here full time." Walter seemed to calm down slightly with this new information, but she could still read the distress in his eyes. "Ralph isn't going anywhere, Walter. It's okay."

"Why haven't you answered him?" the genius said abruptly, and Paige struggled to find an answer for him when she didn't have one herself. She didn't understand why he would care, anyway—he was upset at the prospect of Ralph leaving the team, and she'd put those fears to rest.

"I don't…know," she answered honestly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "It's complicated. I have to decide before Drew leaves in ten days."

Walter fell silent, and Paige moved to reenter the garage and give him some space when he said, in a quiet and firm voice, "Don't do it."

The liaison froze in her tracks and blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. "What?"

"Please don't do it." The genius was staring at her straight on, eyes dark, and Paige fought to breathe under his intense gaze. "Drew has already proven that he is incapable of caring for you and Ralph, and he's lying if he says he'll stay in L.A. You can't trust him, Paige."

"Drew has changed," Paige rebutted, growing defensive. "You would know that if you saw the way he's been the past few months—."

"But you don't love him."

His words dropped on her like a hammer. Her head was already spinning, and hearing him say the word 'love' in any context other than the refusal of its existence was jarring. "How would you know how I feel?" she said sharply, frustrated that he would presume to understand anything she was experiencing when he had gone months without speaking a word to her.

"I don't," Walter replied with equal fierceness. "Ralph does. He knows that you don't love Drew. If you agree to marry him, what kind of message is that for Ralph?"

"Ralph is ten," Paige snapped, feeling lightheaded as blood rushed to her face. "He doesn't know anything about love, and you have no idea what you're talking about."

"What don't I understand, Paige? Please, tell me, because from here it looks like you're allowing someone who has repeatedly hurt you and Ralph to come back in and do it all over again."

"And what is that to you?" She'd told herself to stay calm, but she was tired of suppressing everything she felt. All of the emotions, the doubts, the anxiety—they were bound to erupt, like lava simmering inside a volcano. "I don't understand why you feel like you have a say in my decisions. You don't. I gave you the opportunity to be a part of my life, and you made it very clear that you had other priorities." Paige swallowed the lump in her throat. "So I will take your advice about Ralph into consideration, but whatever I do from here on out is not your concern."

Walter's face fell, and his gaze dropped to the ground. "Paige…"

"No more," she said bitterly. "I'm tired of this. I thought that we moved on, but you just…you keep making this so hard." Tears were starting to push at her eyelids and cloud her voice, and she struggled to hold them back. "Maybe I do too. I don't know. But you need to figure out what you want, Walter, before you destroy this whole team."

The genius didn't respond, and his red, glassy eyes met hers briefly before he looked away. "I'm going to take a few days off," Paige continued, her chest constricting almost unbearably. "I'll come back when I'm ready. I just…can't be here right now."

Walter offered a short, distant nod, and every cell in Paige's body screamed for her to run. She ignored the questioning stares from the other geniuses as she walked through the garage, grabbed her purse, and left without a word.

* * *

When Paige saw Happy's name on her caller ID a few hours after she left the garage, her first instinct was panic. The last time she and Walter fought like that…well, he survived by a miracle, and she wasn't sure they could rightly hope for another one.

"Happy?" she answered quickly. "Is everything okay?"

The mechanic sounded confused. "Yeah. Why?"

"Oh." Paige felt relief wash over her and relaxed her shoulders. "You've just…never called me when we didn't have a case."

"I don't like the phone," Happy explained with a hint of disgust. "But you and I need to talk."

"Happy," the liaison noted tentatively. "I'm not ready to talk about it."

"Normally I'm a big advocate of everyone minding their own business, but that was a hell of a blowout you and Walt had," Happy said, ignoring her. "He found out you and Drew are engaged?"

Paige's breath caught in her throat. "How do you know about that?"

"The doc figured it out. Don't ask me how. Sometimes I think he might be a wizard."

"Of course," she muttered, rubbing her temple with her fingers. Working with geniuses had certain advantages, but privacy was not one of them. "Drew and I aren't engaged. He proposed, but I haven't given him an answer yet."

"Why not?" Happy said bluntly.

"Why is everyone asking that? I haven't decided yet. It's a big decision."

The mechanic snorted. "That's not why."

"Don't you think I—," Paige started before shaking her head. "Never mind. Respectfully, it's none of the team's business."

"Uh, I disagree," Happy argued. "Trust me, I don't want to get involved in this mess, but I'm not going back to the way things were after the bombing case. The rest of us almost quit because you and Walt couldn't function away from each other."

The liaison felt a chill travel down her spine at Happy's statement. She had almost lost her sanity too…every day she saw him, remembering his harsh words, feeling him push her out, watching him tear apart the team. She was scared to lose everything she and the others had built.

"I can't control Walter's behavior," Paige claimed, working out her frustration by unraveling a loose thread from one of her throw pillows. "And I'm certainly not going to base major life decisions on whatever will make him freak out the least."

"Don't," the mechanic rebutted. There was a faint buzzing noise in the background from her tools, but Paige was so familiar with the sound that she barely noticed it. "But I think you should be honest with yourself about why you haven't accepted Drew's proposal yet."

Paige sighed, twisting the thread around her finger. She hesitated to open up to Happy, but there was no one else to talk to and she trusted the woman to keep her lips sealed. "I want to give Ralph what he never had," she answered finally. "What he deserves. Drew and I fell into old habits so fast, and it felt just like it did when Ralph was born. I felt comfortable with him, but…"

"But?" the mechanic prompted after a moment of silence.

"But when you've felt something more than that…it's…it's hard to go back," she stammered, wishing that she could see Happy's reaction instead of guessing at it. But she had already committed, and had nothing left to lose. "Even if I can never have that again, I'm scared to settle when I know that I'm capable of feeling something…stronger."

Happy didn't ask who she was talking about. They both knew. "Huh," she said simply as the whirring behind her died down. Paige assumed it had to be important if Happy was willing to shut down her tools. "Do you want my advice?"

Paige debated briefly before shrugging. "I don't know. It can't hurt, I guess."

The mechanic, unsurprisingly, took no offense and continued. "You know what's best for you and Ralph. But from where I'm standing, saying yes to Drew is only going to hurt him, you, and the kid. If you're not convinced by now that you're going to be happy, then don't do it. Unhappy people make bad parents."

The tools started up again, and Paige could tell by her tone that Happy was finished with her half of the conversation. Clutching the phone tightly, the liaison could only manage a strangled thank you before hanging up.

* * *

Paige stared at the ring until her eyesight had blurred and her hand started to cramp. She told herself that if she just put it on, she might get some clarity. See how it felt. Imagine what it would be like to introduce herself as Mrs. Paige Baker, ten years after she'd ever expected to be. But every time she went to slide the band onto her finger, she chickened out and clutched it in her palm instead.

This went on until she heard a small voice say, "Mom?"

Paige was so startled that she nearly dropped the ring, but she shoved it in her pocket and leaned over to open the passenger door. "Hey, baby. How was school?"

"Fine," Ralph said, sounding more like Walter than Paige was able to handle right then. "What's wrong?"

The liaison swallowed hard and combed her hand through her hair before flashing him a phony smile. "Nothing, honey. Do you want to stop and get some pizza before we go home?"

"Is this about dad?"

Paige kicked herself for thinking that she could hide her emotions from Ralph. As much as she wanted to protect him, her attempts to develop his EQ were a little too successful, and he had deciphered the tells of every member of the team…including her.

The liaison didn't speak as she pulled out of the school's pickup lane, turned onto a side street, and parked the car. She took a breath to brace herself before shifting in her seat to face her son. "I need to ask you something, Ralph. And I need you to be completely honest with me. Okay?"

He nodded.

"Your dad…he asked me to marry him. If I say yes, he won't move—he'll stay here in Los Angeles, and we would all live together," Paige explained slowly, searching his eyes for a reaction. "I need to know if that's something you want."

Ralph seemed to look through her for a minute, and she tried not to show her anxiety while she waited for his response. "That's not what you want."

"That's not true, honey," she insisted, reaching out to squeeze his leg. "I want us to be a family. But this is a big decision, and I want to know how you feel about it."

He thought for another minute, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Finally, he said, "There are eleven children in my class whose parents aren't together anymore. They have separate relationships with their mom and dad, like I do. It's okay." Ralph looked up at her through dark lashes and added, "I don't want you to marry dad because of me. It's not what you want."

Paige was overwhelmed by the wave of emotion that hit her. She was always amazed and surprised by Ralph, and she felt so lucky to have gotten the chance to know and understand him. "You never got to have a real family," she said, brushing his hair away from his face. "I just want to give you that chance."

"Mom." Ralph scrunched up his forehead and stared at her curiously. "You did."

Her stray tears turned into a choked sob as she realized what Ralph meant. Without warning, she pulled her son into a tight hug and laughed softly into his shoulder, knowing exactly what she needed to do.


	7. Time

Paige stared at herself in the mirror, combing stray hairs back into place and smoothing out her blue blouse. She thought it was better for Ralph not to be around for this, so she dropped her son off in the care of Sylvester and headed back to their apartment. The liaison expected to experience some doubt, some uncertainty about what she was planning to do, but all she felt was an immense sense of relief. Ralph had given her permission to accept what was already in her heart.

A knock came at the door, and Paige took a calming breath before spinning around and opening it. Drew flashed one of his signature charming smiles and walked past her into the living room. "Thanks for coming," she said calmly, shutting the door behind her.

"Of course," Drew answered, dropping himself onto the couch. "You've made a decision?"

Paige hesitated before taking a seat next to him, leaving a comfortable amount of space between them. "I did," she started as he watched her intently. "I've thought about this from every possible angle, and…I have to say no. I'm sorry. I just don't think it's the right decision for us."

Drew stared at her blankly before shaking his head. "I don't understand. When Ralph was born, you talked about us getting married all the time."

"Yes, and that was ten years ago," the liaison replied, hiding a hint of annoyance at his assumption. "When you proposed, you said that we could have the life that we should have had before you left."

"Paige, I thought—."

"This isn't about that," she interrupted, holding up her hand. "I don't resent you leaving. It was a long time ago. And that's the point. I think that by dating again, we've been trying to rewrite the past, get something back that we felt like we'd lost. And neither of us has been willing to accept that we're different people now, and we can never really go back."

Drew shrugged and leaned his weight on his forearms. "So we start fresh. I don't mind waiting," he said evenly. "Paige, this is our chance to finally be a family. Isn't that what you want for Ralph?"

She felt a pang of guilt as she thought about her son, but then she remembered his answer to her in the car, the resolved look on his face when he told her to follow her heart, his absolute certainty when he referred to Scorpion as his real family. She thought about Happy's assertion that being unhappy would damage her relationship with Ralph. Despite her best efforts, she also thought briefly about Walter, about him surprising Ralph with the party and the defeated look in his eyes when he pleaded with her not to marry Drew.

"I thought it was," Paige answered honestly, shifting her hands from her lap to her sides and back to her lap again. "You know, everything I've ever done was to make sure that Ralph was safe and happy. I was so focused on what he wanted—what he needed—that I lied to myself about what I really needed."

Drew reached out for her hand, but she pulled back. "Paige, you're not making any sense," he said with narrowed eyes.

"I'm saying…" She cleared her throat and met his eyes, feeling exhilarated as she was able to breathe freely for the first time in weeks, maybe months. "I'm saying that we can't stay together. I know it seems crazy, but I talked to Ralph and he understands. He just wants us both to be happy and part of his life—separately, if we have to. And I think…no, I know…that's what's best for everyone. We tried to make this work, but I think you and I both realize that it won't last long. Too much has happened."

There was a long stretch of silence as Drew stared at the ground, rubbing his hand over his jaw. Finally, he said, "Ralph is a special kid."

"Yeah, he is." A smile stretched across her face, and she felt her heart skip as she thought about the incredible ways that Ralph had changed under the guidance of the team, becoming the brilliant and kind kid she'd always hoped he could be. "He loves you, Drew. He wants you around. You offered to come live in L.A. full time, and I think that you still should. For Ralph."

Drew nodded slowly and sighed. "Maybe you're right." After another quiet moment, he placed his hand on her knee and smiled sadly. "I know I've messed up a lot, but I always loved both of you. I hope that you know that."

Paige bit her lip, realizing deep down that this was the way it was supposed be. It was always going to end this way, and she was finally ready to let go. Reaching behind her neck, she unclasped the necklace and slid the ring off its chain. "I know," she said, handing the diamond back to him. "Now it's your turn to show Ralph."

* * *

It was a few days before Paige could bring herself to return to the garage. Everything was changing, and she needed time to catch up. She was finally sleeping again, but there was still something weighing on her mind, even though she wasn't ready to acknowledge it just yet.

One step at a time.

Her breath hitched as she walked into the main level. Walter was sitting at his desk, eyes trained on the floor, hands gripping the arms of his chair. He was even more intensely deep in thought than she was used to seeing him, and Paige found that she was afraid to know what was going through his mind.

"Paige," he said breathlessly, bolting up as soon as he noticed her. "I tried to call you."

The liaison took another step into the garage and placed her purse on her desk. "I know," she answered, feeling another twinge of guilt. She pushed it aside. "I told you, I just needed some time."

"Are you…really back?" he asked hesitantly, his hands hanging uselessly at his sides as if he didn't know what to do with them. Paige had a few ideas, which she also forced herself to ignore.

"Yes." The genius's eyes brightened, and she suppressed a smile. Despite their argument, despite everything that had happened over the previous five months, despite how hard she'd worked to move forward, there was a part of her that missed him every second they were apart, and seemed to heal whenever they were together. "I'm really back."

Walter gulped and looked at her so deeply that she wasn't sure how to react. He took a step toward her and then held himself back, unsure of how much distance she would want between them. "I'm sorry, Paige," he said in a low voice, his hands trembling almost imperceptibly. "I didn't mean what I said. Nothing is more important to you than Ralph, and you've always made the best decisions for him. I know that."

The corner of her mouth turned up slightly. "Thank you."

"And, um…" Walter let out a shaky breath, struggling to find the correct words. "You were right. About me."

"No, Walter," she replied fervently, taking three rapid steps forward and placing her hand on his upper arm, surprising them both. His muscles stiffened under her fingers before gradually relaxing. "I didn't mean what I said either."

"No, you were right," he insisted, offering her a strained smile. "I was trying to go back to the person I was before all this. Before I met you and Ralph, back when I was…" the genius trailed off, his gaze traveling between his arm and her eyes, and Paige reluctantly dropped her hand so she wouldn't distract him. "I thought that it would be easier, but all I did was ruin everything that I cared about. And I hurt you, which is…not something I ever wanted to do. I'm sorry, Paige."

His voice was genuine, and he seemed to be holding his breath as he anticipated her response. They had both made mistakes, and she wondered how two people who cared about each other could get it wrong so many times. But even if they ended up fighting again in a few months, or a few weeks, or even a few hours, Paige realized that she would still forgive him. Their friendship…their partnership…was worth it. He was still—in spite of their baggage and pain and unique way of getting under each other's skin—worth all of it.

"No more interference," Walter added, growing increasingly nervous at her silence. "Your personal life is off limits. Whatever you decide with Drew, I know you'll…" His eyes dropped to her neck, and he frowned. "Where is it?"

Paige's hand instinctively found its way to the area where her necklace had been, and her face flushed as she remembered that the spot was empty. "I, um…" The liaison cleared her throat and replaced her arm at her side. "I said no, Walter."

Silence, and then, "Why?"

"Well, uh," she said with a dark laugh. "It turns out that you can't really fix the past. We all try, but…eventually we have to move on, and just do better in the future, I guess." Her eyes flicked up to his before she raised and dropped her shoulders. "I couldn't risk wasting my future, trying to go back."

Walter felt such a mixture of emotions that they were impossible to separate from one another, but he understood that he was happy—happier than he should have been—to hear that she wasn't marrying Drew, and relieved that she wasn't in pain. There were other things he felt as her eyes were locked on his, but it was too much to process then, too much to understand, so he patted her shoulder awkwardly and said, "I'm glad you're okay."

There was the briefest flash of disappointment on her face, and Walter wondered if he'd imagined it as she smiled weakly. "I will be."

* * *

"You ready?" Walter said as he swung around the doorframe, raising his eyebrow at Toby, who was fighting with the tab on a can of soda.

"Yeah, hold on." Toby scraped at the metal in a futile last effort before giving up and stabbing the can with a knife. "Is everyone gone?"

"Paige went home and the rest of the team is playing miniature golf," the genius said disdainfully, understanding the point even less than traditional golf. "We're clear."

"Excellent. Have a seat," Toby ordered, motioning to the bar stools around the kitchen island. He took a spot across from Walter and leaned his elbows on the table. "I overheard pieces of your conversation with Miss Dineen this morning. You're not breaking ceramics, so I assume it went well?"

"I don't—." Walter exhaled and reminded himself not to get defensive, even though the shrink didn't make it easy sometimes. "Yes. She said no to Drew."

"Oh?" Toby raised an eyebrow. "And how does that make you feel?"

The genius shifted uncomfortably in his seat and focused his attention on his calloused hands. "It doesn't matter. I agreed not to involve myself in her personal affairs."

"Walter," the psychologist said, clicking his tongue. "You asked me to help you, but I can't do that unless you're honest. You may have agreed to that, but is it really what you want?"

He swallowed hard and tapped his fingertips against the smooth countertop. "What I want…" Walter cleared his throat and started again. "What I  _need_ is to learn…to figure out…how to let it go."

Toby watched him curiously. "Let what go, Walt?"

"The past," he managed finally. "I've never been able to forgive myself for the lives that my software ended, and I've spent my entire life trying to fix it. I still want that, but…" Walter coughed and raised his eyes. "But if I ever want a future, then I need to…learn how to, um…move on."

Toby couldn't believe it. He'd waited years for Walter to say those words, to work toward forgiving himself, and he had a hunch that it took the genius finally finding something—a beautiful company liaison and her son, for instance—that he wasn't willing to lose. The shrink grinned. "Well, we better get started then."


	8. Peace

Walter pushed open the yellow curtains in Megan's room and unscrewed the cap on his bottle of water, pouring the liquid into the small clay flower pots his sister kept on her windowsill. He readjusted the one on the left to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight before he heard the clinking of Megan's braces and turned around to see her standing in the doorway.

"You're gardening?" she smirked.

"I've got it," Walter told the nurse by her side, supporting Megan's arm as she stored her crutches and sat in a chair by the window. She watched him with a smile as he took a spot on the bed across from her. "I didn't know how long you would be in therapy. I was trying to keep myself busy."

"Mmhmm," she hummed, leaning back in her seat and popping a square of chocolate in her mouth. "How's the team?"

"Uh…good," he shrugged. "Happy used her Taser on Toby during the last case. She said it was an accident, but there's evidence to the contrary. Cabe went on a date on Tuesday, which was strange for everyone…"

"Let me rephrase that," Megan interrupted, pointing her finger at him. "How's Paige?"

Walter tensed and stared at the wall behind her. "Paige is fine," he said mechanically.

"I knew it," she chuckled, propping her arm up on the back of the chair. "You know, for someone who claims he doesn't have emotions, you are maddeningly easy to read. Can't you at least make it a challenge?"

The genius crossed his arms before Toby's voice popped into his mind, reminding him that it was a defensive behavior and only served to shut people out. He reluctantly loosened them and settled for gripping the railing on the bed instead.

"It's been almost two months," she continued, mercifully not waiting for him to respond. "I assumed that you just wanted to give her some time after the breakup, but you still haven't told her. Why?"

Walter cleared his throat and tried to develop a metaphor using math or science or any of the other forty things that he was an expert in, but he came up empty. Instead, he blurted out, "It's not fair."

Megan watched him expectantly, but he wasn't sure how to elaborate. "What isn't?" she prompted.

"It's not…" Walter could feel himself starting to shut down, quarantining the feelings that couldn't be logically analyzed and processed. Walter was tempted to allow it, but he couldn't afford to slide back into old habits. He pushed through and took a breath to control his anxiety. If he couldn't open up to Megan—the person he trusted most in the world—he had no chance with anyone else. "It's not fair for me to change my mind. I made it clear to Paige that we could never be anything other than colleagues. It is unfair for me to request a different outcome now."

"You're not 'requesting' anything," Megan rebutted, moving her fingers in air quotes. "It's not a business transaction, Walter. You love her. If she doesn't want to be with you, she'll tell you. But you should let her make that decision."

Her words echoed another piece of Toby's wisdom (or lunacy, he wasn't sure) that Walter had picked up during their sessions.  _You always think you know what's best for everyone, Walt, but you don't. People surprise you sometimes._ The genius climbed off the bed, suddenly too restless to sit, and paced slowly around her room. "I'm trying to fix things, Megan," he started hesitantly. "But I'm not willing to take the chance until I know that I won't hurt her."

She snorted, and Walter raised his eyebrow, unsure of what exactly was humorous about his situation. Megan gave him an empathetic smile and shook her head. "I've got news, Walter. You've already hurt her." He winced at how poorly he'd reacted after the bombing case, after he found the ring. In hindsight, he could see how pointless and foolish lashing out was. "But she's also hurt you. Sometimes we hurt the people we care about, even though we don't mean to. It's just a side effect of loving someone."

"How can I agree to that?" he mumbled, dropping his eyes. "If that's true, then my initial conclusion was correct. It's better not to involve our emotions."

Megan released a loud sigh. "Walter, no, you're missing my point. If it's not you, then it'll be somebody else. And I can guarantee that no one else will love and protect Paige and Ralph the way that you do." The genius didn't respond. "Look, this is what I know. I'm dying, Walter." His eyes snapped to hers, and she held up her hand before he could protest. "I am. It's okay. My point is that Sylvester took a chance on me even though he knows that one day I'm going to hurt him. Badly. And the fact that he's willing to risk that means everything to me. So why don't you let Paige decide whether or not she wants to take that chance on you?"

He stilled and leaned against the counter, scratching the side of his face. "I hate it when you say things like that."

"And I hate it when you put yourself in danger, but we are who we are," she said, a hint of sadness shadowing her voice. "You've already done so much for me. But I don't have a ton of time left, and I can't stand to see you wasting the time you have. Stop holding back and allow yourself to be happy, Walter."

The genius exhaled and shrugged his shoulders. "Everything I do seems to make things worse."

"There's one thing you haven't done yet," Megan said with a slightly mischievous smile. She motioned for him to come closer and gripped his hand as he looked at her questioningly. "You tried your experiment, and it failed. So try a new one."

* * *

Walter stared at the door leading to the roof. He had 27.3 seconds before Paige came through it, if his calculations were correct. Long enough for him to back out. Long enough for him to run, to tell her later through an apologetic text message that he couldn't make it, that it wasn't about anything important. But he stayed where he was—through determination or immobility, he wasn't sure.

The seconds passed by agonizingly slowly, until the door swung open and time seemed to speed up all at once. Paige shivered a little as she met the cool evening breeze, and when it rustled her loose hair, Walter forgot everything he'd planned to say.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized, unaware that Walter had already factored her lack of punctuality into his estimate. "I had to drop Ralph off at Drew's."

"It's okay," the genius said with a slight laugh, his eyes trained on her as she walked up to the window ledge and took in the view of the city. As a team, they'd had many good moments on the roof, and he hoped those positive associations would make her more willing to hear him out. "Thank you for meeting me."

Paige turned her attention to him and smiled softly. "Sure. What did you want to talk about?"

Walter rested his forearms on the ledge, his eyes flicking between her and the street. He couldn't believe how terrified he was. He fought drug cartels and disarmed bombs with unshakable confidence, but looking at her made his mouth dry and his bones feel like gelatin.

"I've been working with Toby," he said, figuring it was as effective a place to start as any. She nodded to let him know she was listening. "You told me that we couldn't change the past, even if we tried. That we needed to move on. I realized that you were right."

"Okay," she said uncertainly, moving to rest her weight on her elbow.

"After Baghdad, I decided there was only one thing that mattered. My purpose in life was going to be to save as many people as I killed, and I wouldn't allow anything to stop me until I did." Walter felt his chest tighten. "But that…plan…for my future was dependent on me being alone. With the exception of Megan, I pushed away anyone that I thought I could care about more than that. And if I felt like I had to choose between that person and fulfilling the promise I made, well…" He glanced at her quickly and looked away. "I told myself that I couldn't have them in my life. It wasn't the right decision, but it was the decision I made."

Paige's eyes widened as the pieces connected in her mind. "Like me. After the Ford case."

"Yes. When I said that you were a liability, I didn't mean to the team. I meant that I…that I had to choose between my feelings for you and finishing what I had dedicated my entire life to. And I choose the latter, because," he coughed nervously. "I thought that it wasn't my right…that I didn't deserve…to go after what I wanted until I set things straight."

The liaison didn't say anything, just stared at him intensely. Waiting for her response made him frantic, so he decided to finish his confession before he lost his nerve. "I let you think that Scorpion was more important to me than you were. But that's not true, Paige. That's never been true. What scared me was that, deep down, I knew I would give up everything I'd ever worked toward for you." Paige's eyes were shining, and Walter hoped it was a good sign. She'd taught him that people could cry over good things, too, and he couldn't stand the thought of hurting her again. "So I tried to distance myself from you, and hope that I would be able to go back to the way I was. But I just became this miserable person that alienated everyone, and I was miserable fighting with you, and I was miserable seeing you with Drew, because the truth—the real truth, Paige—is that I love you."

Walter released a deep breath, feeling like his legs might give out. Paige—the one who always knew what to say, the one who understand emotions better than any of them—was speechless. She pushed herself away from the ledge and stood stiffly, tears brimming her eyes but refusing to spill over. He wasn't expecting this part to be easy, but the longer Paige went without answering, the more he wondered if he had finally ruined things beyond repair.

"Paige," he called softly, hoping to break her out of her trance. "I really need you to say something."

She looked at him in surprise, as if she'd forgotten he was standing there. "Seven months," she said finally, and Walter swallowed hard. "Seven months I've been…torturing myself, trying to figure out where to go from here because what I wanted wasn't possible." She tilted her head back and blinked. "And now you're telling me that you've always felt that way, and I just…how am I supposed to react to that?"

Paige grazed her fingers over her eyes, clearing her tears, and Walter didn't want to talk anymore. The urge to reach out to her was overwhelming, but he stopped himself. "It's the truth," he murmured. "I don't expect anything. If you can't forgive me, I accept that. But I, um…I can't do any of this without you, Paige. I don't function the same without you, and if I want to help people, then I need to accept the role you play in my life. Geniuses learn from their mistakes, and I won't make the same one twice."

The liaison sighed heavily before meeting his eyes. He was too late. He was sure of it. Walter knew the high statistical likelihood of her rejection and had attempted to prepare for it, but in the moment, there was nothing he could tell himself to make it less painful.

"I know you didn't mean to hurt me," Paige said, shuffling her feet on the concrete. "But it's harder for me to trust you now."

"I know."

"But the thing is that, um," Walter jumped to attention as she dropped her eyes and bit the inside of her lip. "As much as I wish that I could just walk away like you did, I know that I can't. Because even though I've spent months trying to forget it, I do…I mean, I still…love you," she breathed, giving him a watery smile. "So I will try."

Walter's heart pounded in his chest, and every fact he'd ever learned was obscured by one simple thought. She loved him, and he hadn't lost her. And despite years of contesting that love was an imaginary construct, it suddenly felt like the most certain thing in his life.

The genius had no words left, and Paige didn't seem to need any. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his, hooking her arms around his neck. Walter's hands traveled to her waist and pulled her closer, months of anger and frustration replaced by nothing but relief and long overdue, nearly-forgotten happiness.

* * *

"Thank you for staying," Walter said quietly as he stroked Paige's hair.

She adjusted her head on the pillow and nodded. "I'm glad you wanted me to."

He was unbelievably content to have her near him, only inches away on the bed. She seemed surprised when he asked, but he admitted with slight embarrassment that he wasn't ready for her to leave. There was plenty of time for something more physical, but tonight he just needed to be close to her.

"I, um, I had these dreams," he started hesitantly. He wasn't sure he would ever be comfortable opening up, but he knew it was the only way to prove that he was changing. "About us. They were…good. Like this. Us being together."

Paige's fingers found his hand and she squeezed it reassuringly, giving him the confidence to continue. "But they hurt, too, because I would wake up and you weren't there. And that was my fault, I know. I just…"

He trailed off, and Paige inched closer to him. "It's okay, Walter."

The genius knitted his brows. "It happened so many times. Right now you're here, but part of me still believes that when I wake up, you'll be gone again."

"Hey," she whispered as she reached up and rubbed her thumb over his cheekbone. "If you stay, I stay."

Walter wrapped his hand around the one she had on his face, holding it in place. "I don't want to shut you out anymore, Paige."

He closed the distance between them—there wasn't much—and kissed her, curling his arm around her waist. Walter had done everything possible to push her away, and yet there she was, lips tangled with his and hands gripping the thin material of his shirt. It was like a magnetic pull…the farther he'd tried to run, the closer he ended up to her. Paige drew back and trailed her fingers through his hair and over the base of his neck.

"You're tired," she murmured.  _You have no idea_ , Walter thought. She pressed a fleeting kiss to his lips and then his forehead before curling up with the genius and placing her head on his shoulder. "I'll be here," she assured him. "Get some sleep."

Walter rested his chin on top of her head and wrapped both of his arms around her. He didn't want to miss a minute with her, but his body had other plans. The genius listened to her steady breathing, feeling her rise and fall against his chest, until his eyelids slid shut and he finally allowed himself to fall asleep.

Tomorrow would be a good day.


End file.
